That which has always been accepted by everyone, everywhere, is almost certain to be false.
Paul ValeryRead
Serious people have few ideas. People with ideas are never serious.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the contrast between seriousness and creativity, suggesting that too much seriousness stifles innovative thinking.
Paul Valery's quote presents a thought-provoking dichotomy between serious individuals, who tend to have a limited number of ideas, and creative thinkers, who often embody a lighter, more playful approach to life. It suggests that creativity requires a certain levity and an openness to new possibilities that serious attitudes can hinder. Thus, this reflection encourages us to embrace curiosity and playfulness as essential components of innovative thought and personal growth.
Themes
CreativitySeriousnessIdeasInnovationPlayfulness
In practice
Example use cases
In a team meeting about brainstorming new marketing ideas, one might say, 'As Paul Valery noted, serious people have few ideas. Let's keep it light and creative.'
More from Paul Valery
All quotes →Oh, hasten not this loving act, Rapture where self and not-self meet: My life has been the awaiting you, Your footfall was my own heart's beat.
Paul ValeryRead
The history of thought may be summed up in these words: it is absurd by what it seeks and great by what it finds.
Paul ValeryRead
The world acquires value only through its extremes and endures only through moderation; extremists make the world great, the moderates give it stability.
Paul ValeryRead
It would be impossible to "love" anyone or anything one knew completely. Love is directed towards what lies hidden in its object.
Paul ValeryRead
You have certainly observed the curious fact that a given word which is perfectly clear when you hear it or use it in everyday language, and which does not give rise to any difficulty when it is engaged in the rapid movement of an ordinary sentence becomes magically embarrassing, introduces a strange resistance, frustrates any effort at definition as soon as you take it out of circulation to examine it separately and look for its meaning after taking away its instantaneous function.
Paul ValeryRead
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People care more about being thought to have taste than about being thought either good, clever or amiable.
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